Many Note5s are now receiving the Marshmallow update so we expect to receive more update-related issues in the coming weeks. In this post, we try to address at least two issues arising from Marshmallow update on the #GalaxyNote5.

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When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

Problem #1: How to delete sensitive information in Galaxy Note 5 with a black screen issue

WAS WORKING FINE AT 100% CAPACIY. THEN, THE FALL (APPROX. 1 FOOT OR LESS). AFTER THE FALL THE SCREEN WENT BLANK AND THE BLUE LED LIGHT STAYS ON; OCCASIONALLY IT THEN VIBRATES – AS IF OFF/ON – WHILST BLUE LED LIGHT STAYS ON, PHONES GROWS INCREASINGLY HOT UNTIL BATTERY GOES DEAD.

I’VE ALREADY RECEIVED MY NEW NOTE 5 BUT I WANT TO DELETE SOME HIGHLY SENSITIVE DOCS/PICS (OF A FISCAL NATURE) ON MY DEVICE BEFORE SENDING BACK IN.

IN SHORT:

– PHONE HOLDS A CHARGE

– BLUE LED LIGHT STAYS ON

– SCREEN STAYS BLACK AS NIGHT (NO SOUND)

– UNABLE TO CHANGE SETTINGS TO CONNECT TO DESKTOP AND DOWNLOAD/DELETE SENSITIVE INFO

– HAVE ALSO TRIED SAMSUNG SYNC AND TECHS AT VERIZON AND AT&T

IDEALLY, I WANT TO TRANSFER ALL MY SENSITIVE DOCS TO NEW DEVICE, PC, OR CLOUD BUT AT THE VERY LEAST I WANT TO FACTORY RESET/DELETE BEFORE SENDING BACK IN. — T

Solution: Hi T. There are only three ways to wipe the entire phone’s storage — factory reset via Settings, factory reset via hardware button combinations, and via Download or Odin mode — all of which requires that the screen works in the first place. Unfortunately, there’s really nothing that we can do to fix a broken hardware unless we repair it.

The best thing that you can do at this point is to ensure that your Google account you’re using on the “bad” phone is secured by changing the password. This will ensure that no one can access the sensitive information stored in your device. Even Samsung will be unable to log back in to your phone once Factory Reset Protection kicks in on that phone.

Problem #2: Galaxy Note 5 front camera is laggy

My Note 5’s front camera is very laggy. Every selfie I capture with it is blurry and distorted. The picture quality is awesome but it’s extremely laggy… I mean if I move it around, it should move with me smoothly but it doesn’t and when I try to capture a photo, it’s always distorted. The rear camera is just fine and produces extraordinary result but not the FRONT CAMERA!

I am extremely worried about my phone

Also, the front camera is just fine with 3rd party apps. It’s not at all laggy but the system camera app is very laggy.

Thirdly the videos with front cam are also just fine without any lags. Please let me know if my phone is faulty… — Sheharyar

Solution: Hi Sheharyar. The problem may be isolated to the camera app only so be sure to delete its cache and data first. Usually when apps display erratic behavior, the first thing that must be done is to clear its cache. This is a more effective way to fix various bugs and is safer than forcing close an app.

Clear Cache clears out the temporary files of an app that are possibly causing its erratic behavior. It is very safe to do since it retains your app settings.

If clearing the cache fails to solve the problem that you are encountering in an application, the next thing that you have to consider is to clear the data of your app. Accessing the Clear Data button involves steps similar to finding the Clear Cache button.

Go to Settings.

Proceed to Applications.

Select Manage Applications.

Tap the All tab.

Look for Camera app and tap it.

From there, you will see the Clear Cache and Clear Data buttons.

While wiping cache and data of an app is usually effective in majority of cases, it may not fix the problem if the problem lies on the system cache.

During the first boot up, just after you bought the phone, the system will create files for each app and service. These files will be stored in a certain directory only the system could access; the directory is called cache partition. Over time, some of the files get corrupted especially during updates. If the new system tries to use them, conflicts may occur. Hence, you need to delete the obsolete files so that the new system will create new ones but since you don’t have access to those files, you need to use the procedure that Android developers setup for you–wipe cache partition via Recovery Mode.

So, you need to boot the phone up in Recovery Mode first before you can wipe the cache partition. Here’s how:

Turn off your Samsung Galaxy Note 5 completely.

Press and hold the Volume Up and the Home buttons first, and then press and hold the Power key.

Keep the three buttons pressed and when ‘Samsung Galaxy Note5’ shows, release the Power key but continue holding the other two.

Once the Android logo shows, release both the Volume Up and Home buttons.

The notice ‘Installing system update’ will show on the screen for 30 to 60 seconds before the Android system recovery screen is shown with its options.

Use the Volume Down key to highlight the option ‘wipe cache partition’ and press the Power key to select it.

When the process is complete, use the Volume Down key to highlight the option ‘Reboot system now’ and hit the Power key to restart the phone.

The reboot may take a little longer to complete but don’t worry and wait for the device to become active.

I had a Note 3 and used to save any document web page or whatever using normal print function which actually dumped the source in pdf, to retain a local copy of bank payment statement for example for future references or sent by email or to store it electronically in my cloud records.

Well, when I started with my new phone I installed HP print services plugin which was the same I used in my previous Note 3 but when I select print option for example in my Web browser (Chrome) it freezes the web page having to close the Internet browser and launch it again to continue using it.

In fact this procedure works fine in my Note 3 with Android KitKat 4.4.1 but in the newest Note 5 with Android 5.1.1 seems to be wrong and it doesn’t work.

I searched the Web looking for a tip, workaround or report of failure about this lost tremendously useful feature.

Hope you know advising me. — Alvaro

Solution: Hi Alvaro. Kindly do the basic software troubleshooting like wiping the cache and data of the apps involved (Chrome and HP Print Services) and clearing the cache partition. If these procedures won’t change anything, there could be a compatibility problem that needs fixing. Make sure to contact HP technical support to ensure that their product is not the source of the problem in the first place. Also, making sure that the app is updated won’t hurt either.

Alternatively, you may want to consider other HP products that may suit your need. Kindly visit their official website here.

Bought a new Note 5 about 6 months ago. From time to time I have been getting a message stating it cannot read SIM card. I would just reboot phone and every time, without fail after reboot it would be fine. I heard that Note 5s are susceptible to bad card readers, so I changed the card reader a couple months ago. This did not resolve the issue. I still am getting this message 5 to 8 times a week. I also tried a new SIM card from T-Mobile. Same results.

Yesterday my phone beeped while in my pocked indicating it received some sort of message. I looked at the phone and indicated I had a voice message. So I attempted to call my voicemail. The call would not go through. I then noticed I did not have a T-Mobile icon at the upper left of the screen. I also attempted to look at weather app on the home screen and it stated that I was not connected to a network. I also tried to use internet, naturally this was unsuccessful as well. So I tried re-booting the phone. No luck.

Since my phone was backed up on Smart Switch, I decided to do a factory reset. Again no success. I tried a couple more times to reset and delete information. Again no luck. I also tried uploading saved information from Smart Switch to the phone. It will load most items, except for some of my applications that are not factory. I did look through settings, My Phone and it did have one reference to T-Mobile network on one setting. I do not have my phone currently with me to provide any other details on this.

To have a phone to use today, I took the SIM in the Note 5 and put in my old Samsung Mini 2 and if functions just fine.

If you have any additional items to try, I would appreciate your suggestions. On the first issue, the rep at T-Mobile stated that possibly one of the issues could be upgrading Android software that some of the older phones are not 100% compatible. Thank you. — Steve

Solution: Hi Steve. SIM card-related problems are usually caused by bad hardware (SIM card reader) so the best thing that you can do is to ask for a replacement phone instead of attempting a fix. That factory reset did not do anything to change the situation is indicative that there must be other hardware issue that may be causing intermittent connection to T-Mobile network. There is no software fix for an issue like this.

We know that you’ve already tried to replace the SIM card reader so the phone by now should already be covered by a replacement warranty. If the issue persist, try to find another way to replace that handset.

Problem #6: Liquid-damaged Galaxy Note 5 touchscreen not working

My screen stopped working when I use my fingers. Although, I am still able to use the S-Pen for everything. I have the Note 5 Duos version. It’s been almost 2 days since. What happened prior the problem: I had my phones (Note 5 with case and iPhone 6 without case) on my table. During the night I happened to pee on both phones. My girlfriend confirmed that she heard me pee but shrugged it off. Sad to say both phones were still wet when we woke up. I immediately wiped everything and checked the phones. At first, the Note screen was still responsive however a few seconds later it stopped. The iPhone had no issues. I also checked the water damage indicator located in the SIM card slot, but none. However, I noticed that the front and back camera were moist. — Edward

Solution: Hi Edward. If the Liquid Damage Indicator on the Note 5 has not been tripped, it’s highly probable that the screen assembly has collected tiny amounts of liquid causing improper ground or a short circuit of some sort. Because a Note 5 does not have an IP68 protection unlike the S5 and the new S7, you can assume that liquid may have found its way inside causing the problem right now. There is no way to fix this by doing a software troubleshooting obviously so you need to have the phone either repaired or replaced. The good thing is, since you LDI is not activated, you can still take the handset to Samsung and avail of a free replacement. We advise against doing a repair yourself or via any third party shop as most repaired Galaxy phones can develop separate troubles afterwards.

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